LAS MALDICIONES

 Soprano Sasha Gutiérrez, Maestro Jorge Parodi, members of the Arya String Quartet, and Rodolfo Zanetti

National Sawdust seemed just the right venue for the premiere of Rodolfo Zanetti's song cycle. The stage is shallow and wide and the seating arrangement permits everyone to have clear visual access to the performers. One would not want to have missed the intense expressiveness of soprano Sasha Gutiérrez, nor the interesting fingering of Mr. Zanetti's bandoneon. The four lovely ladies of the Arya String Quartet provided visual interest and we enjoyed being able to distinguish who was doing the bowing and who was doing the plucking in Mr. Zanetti's interesting score. Furthermore, Maestro Jorge Parodi eschewed the baton in favor of eloquent hands, each finger expressing a mood or color or emphasis. We thought of these fingers as a corps de ballet, sometimes performing in unison and at other times, with one standing out as soloist. What an interesting performance!

Produced by Opera Hispanica, in collaboration with New York City Opera, Las Maldiciones comprises fifteen sections. With only a couple sections as solely instrumental, the voice of Ms. Gutiérrez carried the evening. And what a voice that is! We have enjoyed her performances for several years and can only say that her artistry has grown with time.

Addressing the work as a whole, we were reminded of Schubert's Winterreise in that the theme is a monochromatic one. Winterreise is all about grief whereas  Las Maldiciones is about rage. Both are about suffering. In the Schubert, the suffering is turned inward. In the Zanetti, the suffering is turned against the cause of the suffering, presumably a man who has disappointed the singer romantically. 

However there is a major difference that has resulted in the enduring popularity of the Schubert. Schubert told a story in which the words paint a picture that we can create in our mind's eye. Every song is different. Each of his twenty-four songs has a memorable melody and a varied piano part. Two centuries later, a male singer of reputation will consider the work a challenging summit to be climbed, a capstone to a career, an attempt to create 24 shades of grief. Schubert accomplished this through two artists, a singer and a piano.

By contrast, in the Zanetti cycle, our ears did not pick up 24 shades of rage not even 15 in spite of the fact that the four members of the string quartet gave full expression to the written parts and that the composer's bandoneon produced some fascinating sounds. The members of the Arya String Quartet (violinists Melisa Atoyan and Rebecca Racusin, violist Laura Sahin, and cellist Molly Von Gutzeit) alternated in legato and staccato parts, lending aural interest alongside Mr. Zanetti's bandoneon.

However the text was devoid of variety and it was only through the artistry of Ms. Gutiérrez, both her facial expression and vocal coloration, that we perceived enough variety to hold our interest.  We couldn't help wondering what Mr. Zanetti had in mind when he wrote the text. In the 12th section, "Maldición Cuarta", we were enchanted by the musicality of the Spanish text and musical phrasing that put it way above the other sections. We found ourselves waiting for some transformation of the heroine. She found peace through rage? Perhaps there is something within Latin American culture that we missed but we didn't feel any growth or transformation.

That being said, we were glad we experienced it due to the excellent performances. However we are still waiting for a contemporary work that will take our breath away, one that tells a story by means of melody and linguistic beauty. We have a feeling that it will probably be in the Spanish language.

© meche kroop

A NEW WORLD CARMEN

 Melisa Bonetti Luna with dancers Mariana Parma and Leonardo Sardella

What a pleasant surprise! The last time we saw an adaptation of Bizet's masterpiece was over 5 years ago and it was Peter Brooks' La Tragédie de Carmen.  Tact precludes our naming the company that produced a work that we found worthless and insulting to both Bizet and to Merimée, the author of the original story upon which the opera Carmen was based.

We approached La Carmencita  with, admittedly, some trepidation. We only agreed to attend based on our admiration for some of the artists. To our delight, the enterprise was not only entertaining but valid in its concept. When we were new to opera, we couldn't understand why this very Spanish work was sung in French. Well, we got to hear it in Spanish and it sang extremely well!  Adapted by producer Sasha Gutiérrez (who also translated her Spanish libretto into English for the titles and furthermore sang the role of Micaëla), the 1871 masterpiece was transformed into a Tango opera in one passionate and swiftly moving act. As in Peter Brook's 1981 reinvention, this condensed and telescoped version preserved our favorite arias, ditching the chorus and extraneous characters. But it succeeded where Brooks failed.

The emphasis shifted to the interaction between the four main characters and their intense interaction. Since it is the specifics that involve us in any story, let us describe them. The action takes place in a cafe in Buenos Aires in which Carmen is a featured performer, along with a pair of tango dancers as seen in the photo above. Escamillo is an impresario who promises Carmen professional advancement. Jose is a fan and Micaëla is his novia. The geometry of the plot involves two triangles with Carmen being pursued by two men and José  being torn between two women. Jealousy, rage, power dynamics, and passion made for an absorbing story.

The music was provided onstage by pianist Juan Lázaro and bass Pedro Giraudo who created the reduction and also composed the tango music. Other members of the Pedro Giraudo Tango Quartet were bandeonista Javier Sánchez and violinist Nicolás Danielson.

Thankfully, the singers were up to the challenge both vocally and dramatically. This Carmen, mezzo-soprano Melisa Bonetti Luna, was her own woman and delivered the arias we know and love with fine style. The besotted José was effectively portrayed by tenor Juan Hernández. As Escamillo, the formidable guest artist baritone José Luis Maldonado gave a riveting performance. Ms. Gutiérrez' fine clear soprano made for an appealing Micaëla.

The work was effectively directed by Rebecca Miller Kratzer. Costuming was done by Megan Rutherford. The titles fortunately matched the dialogue and were projected in both Spanish and English. We don't know the composition of the audience but we do know that they were vociferous in their applause. Is there room for such adaptations of works in the canon? We think so, as long as the work enhances our understanding of the relationship of the characters and adds a different perspective.  When done out of directorial arrogance such adaptations do not work.

This enchanting evening was a presentation of The Opera Next Door which was started by Ms. Gutiérrez four years ago as informal stoop concerts in Brooklyn. Their mission is to bring opera to a broader audience and it seems to us that this was a major step in achieving that mission. The work was produced by Zack O'Farrill, Santiago Gutiérrez, and Felipe Hoyos-González along with Ms. Gutiérrez. She was also joined by Mr. Hoyos for the Spanish adaptation and for the English translation by Ms. Kratzer. It would seem that what we enjoyed so much was a successful collaboration of all the aforementioned people.

© meche kroop

WITCHES, HELLIONS, AND DIVAS

Juan Lázaro, Manya Steinkoler, Anna Viemeister, Rosario Armas, Sasha Gutiérrez,
and Emma Lavandier

The upcoming International Women's Day was honored last night by Vocal Productions NYC by presenting five women singers in an interesting concert celebrating female opera heroines. Of course, the women were accompanied by a man!  One of our favorite young pianists, Juan Lázaro, managed to keep up with all five!

We love hearing young singers and are aware of how much talent there is in our local conservatories. Gracing the stage of St. John's in the Village were two students from Manhattan School of Music. We remember mezzo-soprano Rosario Armas from her performance last year as Lazuli in Chabrier's L'Etoile, presented by Catherine Malfitano's Junior Opera Theater.

Manuel de Falla's Siete canciones populares españolas was another feather in her MSM cap.  Last night she dazzled us with a deeply felt "O ma lyre immortelle" from Gounod's Sapho, and showed herself to be an accomplished artist comfortable in the French language.

She also sang a cabaret song by Britten entitled "Johnny", demonstrating clear diction and dynamic variety.

Sasha Gutierrez, another student from MSM, performed "Stridono lassú" from Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci, presenting not just splendid vocalism but a true immersion in the character of Nedda. Through Nedda's eyes we could see the birds flying overhead and feel her envy of their freedom. This dramatic intention adds immeasurably to a performance. Of course, Mr. Lázaro's piano helped to bring the birds to life!

The incredibly difficult "Come scoglio" from Mozart's Cosi fan tutte was made to seem like a piece of cake with easeful leaps up and down the register. Was Mozart commenting on Fiordiligi's character or just making things difficult for a soprano he didn't like???

Mezzo-soprano Anna Viemeister has caught our attention in the past by the versatility she has demonstrated, taking on a great variety of roles and doing all of them justice. Last night she gave a stunning performance of "Re dell'abisso", Ulrica's aria from Verdi's Ballo in Maschera. There was an admirable consistency throughout the register and the low notes surely belong in the contralto fach. The "Silencio!" was just as gripping as it should be. 

Ms. Viemeister is an expert at inhabiting a character. She did just as well creating a memorable Princesse de Bouillion in the impassioned "Acerba volutta" from Cilea's Adriana Lecouvreur. Léonor's aria "O mio Fernando" from Donizetti's La Favorita allowed her to show off the upper register and her duet "Mira o Norma" showed her ability to achieve harmony and balance.

The Norma to her Adalgisa was sung by soprano Manya Steinkoler who also gave us Lady Macbeth at her most bloodthirsty in "Vieni t'affretta", introducing the aria with a dramatic recitation and following it with a stunning cabaletta.

The oft-reviewed Emma Lavandier was also on hand portraying Hoffman's muse in Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffman; there is nothing like hearing this from a native speaker of French! The same could be said for her "Seguidilla" from Bizet's Carmen, although we would have wished for a bit more seduction.

We enjoyed the evening immensely and left with only one doubt. Why was Adriana Lecouvreur put in the category of "Witches"? We always saw her as a benevolent character and a victim. Likewise for Nedda. Somehow on the program they wandered from "Diva" into "Witches", leaving us with a little laugh. We might have moved Carmen from "Hellions" to "Witches". We guess it's just how one looks at it.

© meche kroop

ADES COMPETITION

Polixeni Tziouvaras, Sasha Gutiérrez, Hyeree Shin, Kelly Singer, Daniel Rich, Sae Lin Kim, Hannah Friesen,
and Xiaotong Cao

Yesterday eight accomplished singers competed for some mighty generous prize money awarded by the dear Joan Taub Ades, who works tirelessly for Manhattan School of Music and their students, as did her late husband Alan M. Ades who was here honored in the performance space bearing their names.  This was the ninth annual competition and drew a huge crowd of opera lovers.

We heard six of the eight competitors (thanks MTA!) and were rather overwhelmed by the quality of the performances. We tried to imagine a phrase analogous to "rubbing one's eyes in disbelief". Somehow "rubbing one's ears" didn't quite make the journalistic cut; we will just say that so much talent onstage within a couple of hours was most impressive.

It is not our custom to list winners and how much money each one received. In our eyes (ears, once more) they were all winners. All the singers will receive degrees from MSM in May. Nominated by their respective teachers, and selected for the finals by means of audition, yesterday's competition was the last step.

We apologize for missing the performances of soprano Hannah Friesen who was accompanied by Travis Bloom, and that of mezzo-soprano Sae Lin Kim, who was accompanied by Eric Sedgwick. It couldn't be helped. We heard from our seat neighbor that both were excellent. 

The first thing that impressed us was the confidence and clarity with which each singer introduced her/himself. We have been known to complain about singers who mumbled their introductions and the titles of the arias they were about to sing. No such failures here!

The first singer we heard was Colombian soprano Sasha Gutiérrez of whose versatility we got a very clear picture. She performed Dona Elvira's aria "Ah fuggi il traditor" from Mozart's Don Giovanni with suitable angry intensity. The judges requested from her submitted repertory "Il est doux, il est bon" from Jules Massenet's Hérodiade which she sang with a sweet tone and a nicely modulated Gallic line. Mr. Bloom provided excellent support.

Next we heard the aptly named Kelly Singer who used her impressive artistry in two very different arias. She performed "Non, Monsieur mon mari" from Francis Poulenc's satirical operetta Les mamelles de Tirésias. Every gesture and facial expression seemed spontaneous but we are quite sure that she labored mightily to get every one just perfect. It was fine and funny and very French.

The judges asked to hear Händel next. "Piangerò" from Giulio Cesare was a perfect contrast to the Poulenc and gave us an opportunity to appreciate Ms. Singer's coloratura in the vocal fireworks of the middle section.  When the first theme reappeared we enjoyed the lavish embellishments. Cory Battey was her supportive accompanist.

Baritone Daniel Rich, the only male singer in the group, opened with "Avant de quitter ces lieux" from Gounod's Faust, a common choice for baritones in competitions. We enjoyed the depth of protective feeling he expressed for his sister. Gounod's "four-square" writing does not help to elicit a long legato line until the first theme recurs. But Valentin is going off to war so the march-like rhythm works dramatically.

The judges requested "Warm as the autumn light" from Douglas Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe. The work is far more melodic than most 20th c. operas and Mr. Rich's clear English diction added to our enjoyment. We didn't miss a single word. Mr. Sedgwick accompanied effectively.

Soprano Hyeree Shin dazzled us with her instrument's lovely resonance and abundant overtones. Ophélie's mad scene "A vos jeux mes amis" from Ambroise Thomas' Hamlet is a true showpiece for which Joan Sutherland was famous, and Ms.Shin gave it a superb performance with great clarity in the coloratura and a killer trill. The various shades of madness were well conveyed from one section to another.

We were completely satisfied at that point but the judges requested a hearing of "Take me back up the hill" from Ned Rorem's Our Town, an opera based upon the Thornton Wilder play which, in our opinion, gained nothing by adding music. However, it gave us a chance to hear Ms. Shin's clear English diction. William Woodard accompanied on the piano.

Mezzo-soprano Polixeni Tziouvaras performed "All'afflitto" from Gaetano Donizetti's Roberto Devereux in which Sara, Duchess of Nottingham, reveals her grief. Although Ms. Tsiouvaras has a mezzo instrument of depth, her top notes soar in a lovely upper extension. The vibrato is consistently appealing.

The judges requested "Wie do warst" from Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier and we enjoyed this even more. The delivery was passionate and convincing. Also we became aware of something for the first time--the space between the notes. It is difficult to describe but there was great feeling in the silences. This impressive performance was accompanied by the excellent Jonathan Heaney.

The final performance was by soprano Xiaotong Cao whose performance of "Stridono Lassù", from Ruggiero Leoncavallo's Pagliacci, brought to life the songs of the birds that she so envied; the trills received plenty of assistance from pianist Chun-Wei Kang whose delicate hands performed a ballet on the keys of the piano. The tempo seemed a bit accelerated compared to that which we usually hear in this realismo aria. The pair brought the aria to a stunning conclusion.

The judges requested "Come scoglio" from Mozart's Così fan tutte, Fiordiligi's killer aria of determined resistance. Ms. Cao negotiated the wide skips with excellence as well as effectively handling the lower register. The fioritura tickled the ear.

After all that aural pleasure, some gustatory pleasure awaited by means of a reception, serving to distract everyone from the anxiety of waiting for the judges' decision. The judges were Diane Zola, Peter Russell, and superstar soprano Denyce Graves.

(c) meche kroop